From The Ashes
by Inked Contest
Summary: What do you do when the one who vowed to love you betrays you instead? Why you rise from the ashes, of course, with the help of some old friends... and a new one.


Title: From the Ashes

Summary: What do you do when the one who vowed to love you betrays you instead? Why you rise from the ashes, of course, with the help of some old friends... and a new one.

Paring: Bella + Edward

Rating: M

Word Count: 6,720

Disclaimer: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

Bella fumbled with her keys, cursing as she dropped them on the front porch. She muttered under her breath as she searched for them in the failing light; she'd asked Quil to change that burned-out light bulb weeks ago, too nervous in her own clumsiness to climb the ladder to do it herself. She supposed she could call her dad and ask him to do it, but she didn't want to listen to Charlie's complaints about her husband...again.

This time of year—parent/teacher conferences—was always exhausting. Bella loved being a teacher and sharing her love of art with the students of Forks High; it was their parents that drove her batty. Parents who decided that parent/teacher conferences, in the very public cafeteria of the high school, was the place and time to scream at her about their child's failing grades, grades Bella had emailed or called about probably a half a dozen times by now, messages that had gone unanswered.

She finally got the door unlocked and stepped inside, dumping her keys, purse, and school bag on the table by the front door. She kicked off her dress shoes with a satisfied groan, grateful she had been able to leave conferences early.

She noted that the light over the kitchen sink was on, but the rest of the house was dark. She double checked her cell phone, looking to see if Quil had texted that he was working late. The garage had picked up a huge contract for a car dealership in Port Angeles, fixing up and detailing the used cars they purchased at auction, so Quil had been working a lot of overtime. No messages. She tried to tamp down her irritation; this had been happening quite a lot lately, his being gone with her not knowing about it, often for hours on end. She honestly wasn't sure the last time they'd even had dinner together.

Of course, she shared in the blame as well. This time of year was always crazy at school, and in addition, Bella was teaching a painting class for adults at the community center one night a week. She felt the familiar sting of guilt, and wondered if they could spend some time over the weekend reconnecting. Maybe they could go for a nice drive, even sneak away overnight to that place in the mountains Quil loved so much.

Bella opened a hotel booking site on her phone, clicking on the link for their favorite getaway spot as she walked down the hallway to their bedroom. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door, too engrossed in her web search to even note how unusual it was for her bedroom door to be closed at this time of day.

When the door swung open, Bella saw several things in rapid succession.

The first thing Bella saw was Quil's ass. He was naked, kneeling on the bed and facing away from the door, towards the headboard and the mirror that hung over it.

The second thing Bella saw was the reflection in that mirror. She could see Quil's face. Her husband's eyes were closed and his head was thrown back, facing the ceiling.

But Quil's face wasn't the only one Bella saw in that mirror. The same expression was on the face of the woman he was fucking from behind in their bed.

Bella stood rooted to the spot, a sense of detachment coming over her as she watched the scene playing out. Quil's hips gyrated and thrusted as he pounded into the woman's body over and over, her pony tail wrapped tightly in his fist. The woman's back was arched as she knelt on all fours, her neck at a harsh angle as Quil pulled even harder on her hair.

Next, Bella was assaulted by a cacophony of sounds: the woman's high pitched squeals and moans, Quil's deep grunts, the rhythmic sound of their skin slapping, and the slamming of the headboard against the wall.

Suddenly the woman started shrieking, "Oh God, Quil baby, I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum!"

"Cum for daddy, Claire-Bear! Cum for daddy," Quil shouted, his thrusts increasing in speed as he slapped the woman's ass with his free hand.

Bella broke from her reverie. _Well we can't have that, can we? _She slammed the heavy wooden door, the sound echoing like a shot throughout the room.

The figures on the bed froze almost comically, and Quil met Bella's furious gaze in the mirror. "Jesus fucking Christ, Bella, can't you knock?" he yelled, pulling his rapidly deflating cock out of the woman in front of him. Bella's smile was spiteful—she knew what her husband's post-coital dick looked like, and the poor cheating bastard hadn't finished. _Boo hoo._

The woman screeched and scrambled for the covers, grabbing the sheet that they had shoved aside and covering herself, facing away from Bella. She made a good show of starting to cry, burying her face in Quil's back.

"Oh, whoops! So sorry I didn't knock. Now why is that? Oh right, it is my fucking house after all. Care to introduce me to your friend, Quil? Claire, is it?" Bella stared at the woman hiding behind Quil's shoulder, feeling a cold shiver of revulsion wash over her at the woman's familiar features. "Claire Young?" Bella breathed in shock.

The woman, barely more than a girl really, met Bella's gaze. Claire's eyes were red-rimmed, yet defiant, her hand gripping Quil's shoulder.

Bella felt nauseous. "You're fucking one of my _students_?" she shouted at Quil.

"_Former _student, Mrs. Atera," Claire sneered. "I graduated in June."

Bella laughed, feeling hysteria bubble up inside her. "The fact that you called me Mrs. Atera tells me everything I need to know, _Claire-Bear_. So, exactly how long has this been going on?" While Claire had only been her student during her senior year, they had known her and her family much longer. Claire's uncle was Quil's boss, for Christ's sake!

"She's my soul mate," Quil said, turning to look into Claire's eyes and stroke her cheek. "The first time I saw her, I knew that she and I were meant to be together."

Bella felt nauseated. "The first time you saw her was at her 14th birthday party, you sick fuck."

"And the first time I met him, I knew he was my destiny. He waited for me. He said he would always wait for me. And you can't come between us anymore," Claire said heatedly, a sick kind of hero-worship in her voice.

"Quil?" Bella asked, her voice deceptively calm. "How long?"

Quil shrugged. "February. We waited until she turned 18, that's all you need to know."

"All I need to know? ALL I NEED TO KNOW? You're almost 30 years old, and you're telling me that your boss's 18-year-old niece is your soul mate? That you guys have been fucking each other since February, _before _she even graduated high school, and while she was one of my students? Anything I'm missing here?"

"C'mon Bella, you can't tell me you didn't see this coming. You know we haven't had much of a marriage for the last five years," Quil said, his voice patronizing.

Bella laughed humorlessly. "Seriously, Quil? We've only been married for six. But I'll tell you what, you don't need to worry about that any more. If you wouldn't mind just covering up that... thing," she gestured to his flaccid penis with a grimace, "I'll just pack a few things and be on my way."

"You can't have him, Bella. He's mine!" Claire shouted.

This time Bella's laugh was long and hearty. "Oh sweetie, you don't need to worry about that. He is all yours."

_Eight months later_

"The word of the day, ladies and gentlemen, is S-I-N-G-L-E! May I present Miss Bella Swan!" Rosalie McCarty shouted. Situated right next to the courthouse in Port Angeles, the bar patrons were used to having the newly divorced stop in for a celebratory drink, and several cheered and raised their glasses in Bella's direction.

Bella blushed but grinned, raising her shot glass in response.

Rose clinked her glass with Bella's, their friend Alice Whitlock following suit before they all downed their shots. Who better to celebrate her divorce with her than her two best friends?

Bella had known Alice and Rose since junior high. The three became fast friends when Bella moved to Forks, and had stayed that way throughout high school, college, and beyond. They had been one another's bridesmaids, Bella was God mother to Rosalie's daughter, and the two had been by her side from the moment Bella had found out about Quil and Claire.

"So what's next on our agenda, single girl?" Rose asked, motioning for another round of shots.

Bella nibbled her bottom lip nervously. "Well, I figured we'd have dinner, but you guys know I can't really afford to do much more than that."

Deciding before they even got married that they didn't want children, she and Quil had lived pretty comfortably on their two salaries. They purchased a home, drove decent cars, and even did a little bit of traveling. They were able to afford the things they needed, save for the things they wanted, and even had a good chunk set aside in savings for a rainy day.

Or so Bella had thought. When she filed for divorce, she discovered that all that overtime from the shop never existed. As a matter of fact, Quil had cut back his hours to almost part time so he could be with his _Claire-Bear_. They were 10 months behind on the mortgage, their insurance policies had lapsed, and every single utility was on the verge of being shut off. Quil had spent most of the last year dissipating their joint assets and racking up debt. He emptied their savings account two days before Bella discovered him with Claire, cashed out his 401(k), ran up the two credit cards they had, and opened several more without her knowledge and maxed those out as well. The real icing on the cake came when her car was repossessed, taken right from the parking lot in front of the entire school.

And while the judge had ordered Quil to pay her back for the money he took, she might as well try to squeeze blood from a stone. Quil's boss, Claire's Uncle Sam, had not only beaten Quil senseless when he found out about the affair, he had fired Quil, and then blacklisted him in Forks and every other garage from Ozette Lake all the way south to Olympia and east to Seattle. Quil and Claire had finally left Forks to join her family on the Makah reservation, and Bella had heard through the grapevine that Quil was working under the table for one of Claire's cousins on fishing boats in Neah Bay. Nothing she could garnish or attach, of course.

But despite all that, Bella felt that she was luckier than most in her position. She had her job, had picked up teaching another night class at the community center, and was able to rent a cute little apartment over one of the shops in town, just a few blocks from the high school. Even though her home had been foreclosed upon and her credit was utter shit, she was able to make negotiated payments to all their creditors and still have a little left over each month to plug into her savings. And while nothing could replace the dignity Bella lost when her car had been repossessed in front of her students and co-workers, her dad and their friend Jake had pooled their resources and fixed up an old beater of a truck to replace her zippy little coupe.

And she had her friends. Rose and Alice really were the best, doing everything they could to help her out, even though she was stubbornly determined to make it on her own.

"Bella, earth to Bella," Alice's voice brought her out of her reverie, and Bella shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Both Rose and Alice were looking at her with that all-too-familiar concern, and she pasted on a smile. "Well your dinner, and these drinks, are on us. C'mon, let's head out to the restaurant."

Rose settled the bar tab over Bella's protests, and the three of them headed down the street in the direction of Bella's favorite Italian restaurant. Alice and Rose stopped to look in several storefront windows, while Bella kept walking slowly. It wasn't that she didn't like to shop, it was that there was no way for her to afford what she saw, so there was no sense in looking.

"Oooh, I want to go in here, c'mon Bella!" Alice trilled, grabbing Bella by the hand and dragging her through the nearest doorway.

Bella hadn't been paying attention to where they were, so she was surprised to find herself in the waiting area of a tattoo studio. Alice released her hand and walked over to the counter, where a beautiful redhead with dainty snakebites, a septum ring, eyebrow piercings, and a full, colorful dragon sleeve stood near a computer. The woman smiled and greeted them. "Welcome to E's. I'm Victoria – how can I help you ladies?"

"Hi Victoria, I'm Alice, and this is Rose, and Bella. We're here for a five-thirty appointment," Alice said.

"Oh great, I'll let Edward know. Go ahead and take a look around and make yourselves comfortable. Can I get you all something to drink? I've got water, soda, or juice."

"Any champagne?" Rose asked. "We're celebrating!"

Victoria shook her head. "Sorry, no alcohol on the premises—booze and tattoos don't mix. Boss is a stickler for the rules."

"Oh well, it was worth a shot," Rose sighed with a smile. "Water would be great."

Bella tuned them out, looking around the shop. It was tastefully decorated in neutral colors, with low slung couches and chairs scattered about. The walls were covered with large canvases in different mediums: oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolors. Some were edgy and modern, others wispy and impressionistic in nature, while still others were bold and realistic enough to look like photographs, each signed with a large "EAM" in the bottom left corner.

"Hey, what appointment? Alice, did Jasper finally talk you into getting your nipples pierced?" Bella joked.

"We're not here for me, silly. We're here for you!" Alice declared.

"Well I'm sure as hell not getting my nipples pierced!" Bella laughed.

"Well that's a damn shame," a deep voice said from behind her.

Bella whirled in surprise, feeling her blush climb up her neck and bloom in her cheeks. Standing before her was one of the most attractive men she'd ever seen this side of a movie screen. He was tall, at least a foot taller than her own height of 5'3," tall enough that she had to tilt her head to look up at him.

His hair was riot of brown, bronze, and gold that a woman would have paid hundreds of dollars to duplicate in a high-end salon. It was just long enough to curl at the ends and make her fingers ache to find out if it was as soft as it looked. The stubble on his chin and cheeks was a shade darker than his hair, framing his strong, angular jaw and chiseled lips that parted as he grinned, flashing a crooked smile. His eyes were dark green, flecked with gold, and filled with amusement as he gazed down at her.

Bella's face got even hotter, and she could even feel her ears burn as embarrassment consumed her. She looked down to the floor, her eyes quickly roaming his lean but well-muscled frame. He wore a white button down shirt over a snug, black tee-shirt, faded blue jeans, and black chucks.

"You're Edward, right? Emmett's told me all about you. I'm Rosalie," Rose spoke, extending her hand.

Edward turned his focus from Bella to Rose, smiling as he shook her hand. "So you're the woman that tamed Emmett McCarty. It's an honor to finally meet you, Rosalie."

Rose laughed. "Like anyone can tame Em, but I do my best. Edward, these are my friends, Alice and Bella."

"It's my pleasure, ladies. Welcome to my studio. So who is my client today?" he asked.

"Bella!" Rose and Alice answered in unison.

"Oh hell no, I told you I'm not getting my nipples pierced!" Bella answered, shaking her head.

"Well that's good, because I don't do piercings myself. Jane does those, says she loves doling out pain," Edward answered with a chuckle.

"Surprise, Bella!" Alice said, clapping her hands.

"Surprise what?" Bella asked, confused.

"You're covering that crappy tattoo on your shoulder," Rose replied.

A year after they were married, Bella and Quil got matching tattoos—Quileute tribal symbols as a tribute to his heritage. His was over his heart, Bella's was on her right shoulder blade. She had never been happy with the final image; the line work was fuzzy, the image poorly shaded, and most importantly, the artist had incorporated Quil's initials into the design without consulting Bella, while Quil's was strictly the Quileute symbol. She usually kept it covered, but was always disappointed and irritated when she would catch a glimpse of it in the mirror. Even more so now after her divorce.

"It's a great thought, and I plan to do that in the future, but not now, guys," Bella said quietly. She knew their hearts were in the right place, but there was no way she could afford it.

She had shown them the chalk pastel rendering she completed a couple of weeks ago when she first talked about covering the tattoo. It was a phoenix, fierce yet somehow still feminine, its wings unfurled as it flew skyward with red and orange flames following in its wake. To Bella, it represented her rebirth after her divorce, rising from the ashes of betrayal and broken trust, stronger than ever. But the new design was huge; it wouldn't just cover the old one, but take up almost her entire back by the time it was done.

"May I see the tattoo you want to cover?" Edward asked.

"Bella, show him," Rose commanded, tugging on Bella's sweater.

"Jesus, Rose, give me a chance," Bella muttered. She considered denying the request, embarrassed by the design that decorated her skin, but she figured he'd probably seen worse. She pulled her right arm out of her sweater and tugged lightly on the back of her sundress to show Edward, pulling her long hair to the side.

Edward studied the symbol, his breath warm on Bella's neck. She tried to hold in a shiver as goose bumps erupted across her shoulder. "It's not too big, but it's dark. I think the artist tried to put too much detail in too small a space. There are a lot of cover options for something this size, it all depends on how large you want to go."

"She's already got a design," Alice said eagerly. She reached into her oversized bag and pulled Bella's drawing out of a folder, shoving it in Edward's face.

"I can't believe you took that!" Bella hissed.

Edward's eyes widened as he studied the drawing. "This is incredible. Who designed this for you?"

"She did!" Alice said proudly. "Bella's an art teacher, and an artist in her own right."

"Alice, stop," Bella said wearily. Sometimes her friend was too hyper for her own good.

"How big do you want this? It's incredibly detailed, and I'm afraid if we went too small, it would end up muddy like the first one."

"She wants it to cover her entire back," Rose replied for Bella.

"Okay, so one wing would cover the design, the other on the opposite shoulder, the head and body would follow along your neck and spine, and the tail would maybe wrap around your hip?" he questioned, his eyes flicking from the drawing, to Bella's back, and returning to the design.

Bella nodded; that was exactly what she wanted. "Yes, but I'm not ready."

"Sure you are, Bella. Your divorce is final, you said yourself you can't wait to get your old tattoo covered, and it's summer break, so you'll have plenty of time to heal before the school year starts," Rose listed off her reasons, Alice nodding along.

"I. Can't. Afford. It," Bella said with clenched teeth. "Edward, please tell them how much it would cost to do this tattoo, how many sessions it would take."

"It's already been paid for," Edward answered.

"He's right, Bell. Emmett and I, and Jasper and Alice, even your Dad and Jake, we've all pitched in. It's already been paid for," Rose said matter-of-factly.

Edward continued. "Based on your drawing, which I wouldn't change at all, I estimate anywhere from four to six sessions, a couple of hours each, depending on your tolerance for pain. We can start with the outlining tonight. My evening is completely yours. Your friends," he said, gesturing to Alice and Rose, "have arranged to have dinner delivered here, so we can start right now. All you have to do is say yes."

Bella felt her eyes fill with tears. "I can't. I can't let them do that," she said softly.

"It's already done. You deserve something good, something just for you. Stop being so damn stubborn, and let us do this for you, Bella," Alice encouraged.

"I would be honored if you would let me ink this design for you, Bella," Edward told her. "It's amazing and strong and beautiful, just like you."

Bella's tears spilled over. "You guys," she whispered hoarsely, finding it terribly difficult to speak past the lump in her throat.

Rose's eyes were watery as well, full of hope and encouragement. "Say yes, Bella."

Bella glanced at the drawing in Edward's hands and then closed her eyes. She nodded her head firmly. "Yes, Bella," she repeated with a hint of humor.

Rose and Alice cheered as they swooped in and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you, Bella. You will not regret this, I promise," Edward said with an encouraging smile.

After an hour of measurements, drawing enlargements, more measurements, and dinner delivered by Bella Italia, Bella stood staring at the tattoo chair in chagrin. Victoria motioned for Bella to sit. "Your bum goes here, your knees go here, and you put your front against there. Then peel your dress down to your waist—Edward's gonna need access to your whole back to get the outline placed tonight."

"How am supposed to stay covered up?" Bella asked, her cheeks burning as she motioned to her chest.

Victoria waved her hand in dismissal. "Ah, don't worry about it, Edward's seen everything and tattooed everything."

Edward walked into the room at that same moment, stopping short when he saw the look on Bella's face. "Bella, what's wrong? You look . . . really embarrassed."

"I'm not exactly dressed for this," Bella said lamely, gesturing to her summer sundress and flimsy sweater.

"Ah, gotcha. Here, take this and put it on backwards," Edward shrugged out of his white button down and handed it to her.

Bella couldn't help but stare at the vibrant ink that covered his muscled arms, peeking out from his tee-shirt sleeves and flowing all the way down to his wrists. She didn't see even an inch of bare skin, and she was utterly mesmerized. She recognized a couple of the designs from the artwork in the lobby. "Wait, are you 'EAM'? Did you paint the artwork out there?" she asked.

"Guilty as charged," he said, raising his hand and rubbing his neck in a charmingly nervous gesture.

"Your work is beautiful, Edward," Bella replied with a smile.

She could have sworn he blushed. "From the woman who drew this," he said, holding up her pastel, "I'm going to take that as the highest compliment."

Now it was Bella's turn to blush. Victoria rolled her eyes. "All right, if the meeting of the mutual admiration society is done, let's get to work!"

_Two weeks later_

"Ah, she's back for more torture!" Victoria called out as Bella walked through the shop doors. "Where's your entourage, Bella?"

Bella smiled. "They got so bored sitting around and watching me wince the last time that they decided to stay home this time. But I'm under strict instructions to send pictures of tonight's progress."

It really had been boring for Rose and Alice last time. Once Edward had the stencil properly positioned, he spent the next three hours working the outlines of her tattoo, morphing into some shading before Bella finally had to tap out. She'd been too focused on managing her pain level to talk much. Rose and Alice had been happy to fill the time with their chatter, with Edward sharing stories about growing up with Emmett that had all of them laughing.

Today they were going to work on the upper part of the tattoo, filling in the details of the phoenix's head and wings. Bella was already in awe every time she looked in the mirror, and she couldn't wait for the design to really start taking shape.

She had dressed a little more appropriately today, although she had secretly enjoyed wearing Edward's shirt the last time. It had been a while since she'd been that close to a man's cologne, and Edward's was absolutely divine. She was certain he'd noticed her huffing his shirt, but had been kind enough not to say anything.

Victoria waved her back, and Bella was not surprised to find Edward already set up and waiting for her. "You ready?" he asked, flashing her a crooked grin, and she was struck anew at how handsome he was.

"Absolutely. Same as before?"

"Yes, please. Let's take a look. Did you have any trouble at all?" Edward asked.

"It was a little rough on my hip, where my waistband rubbed, but I think it's healing well," Bella answered. She was grateful that, being on summer break, she was able to forego a bra and simply wear a camisole, otherwise she imagined that would have been pretty uncomfortable.

Edward offered Bella his hand as he helped her settle into the chair. She slipped her arms into her backwards zip hoodie, then pulled her tank top down so that her back was fully exposed, and folded down the top of her yoga pants so he could inspect the hip in question.

He started at her neck, his fingers warm where they ghosted over the outline of the design. Goosebumps rose on Bella's skin everywhere he touched. It almost felt as though he was caressing her, and she forced herself to hold in her shiver.

"Are you cold?" Edward asked, his voice as rough as his touch was gentle.

"A little," Bella lied, hyperaware of his closeness. He continued his exploration, across her shoulder blades, along her spine, and finally down to her hip, where the phoenix's tail curled, his thumb tracing the lines on her sensitive skin.

"Your skin is so silky and smooth," he murmured, his breath warm across her neck. Bella couldn't hold in her shiver this time, gasping softly as his fingers stroked her skin.

Edward abruptly pulled away, rubbing the nape of his neck nervously. "I'm sorry, I'll turn the heat up in here so you won't be cold." He fiddled with the thermostat, then walked back to his tray, straightening the contents, even though everything was already perfectly organized. He cleared his throat, finally meeting her gaze and smiling his crooked grin. "It looks great, if I do say so myself. It's going to look even better once we start with the cover today."

As Edward began working, Bella focused on her breathing, the hum of the tattoo gun, and the soft sounds of music playing from the speakers. It was much quieter than her first session, without Alice and Rose there to lead the conversation, but it wasn't uncomfortable. She could hear conversation and laughter coming from the other rooms, which were filled to capacity with the studio's clients. Edward had introduced her to Jane, the sadistic piercer, as she called herself with a tinkling laugh, and the other three tattoo artists that worked at E's—Victoria's boyfriend James, who specialized in portrait tattoos; Heidi, their black and white ink specialist; and Austin, who had an impressive tribal portfolio. They all seemed very nice, but Bella was glad that Edward was the one working on her phoenix.

Edward's voice was soft and low when he spoke, so as not to startle her. "So tell me about this tattoo," he said, tapping the tribal symbol on her shoulder blade, "and why we're covering it up. Aside from the obvious."

Bella glanced up, meeting Edward's gaze in the mirror he had positioned on one wall of the room so that his clients could watch his work, if they so wished. She sighed, thinking about what she wanted to say.

"Unless you don't want to, which is fine," Edward quickly said.

"No, I don't mind," Bella said. "I was just gathering my thoughts. That tattoo... well, my ex-husband has a similar one, although his was done better, and without the personalization. I didn't know until after that they had included his initials in the tattoo."

Edward gave a low whistle. "Number one rule here is the client makes the final determination of their artwork. I would never add something without getting very clear approval."

Bella snorted. "Well, Quil was one of those ask forgiveness instead of permission kinda guys, and the tattoo artist was a friend of his, so..."

"Were you together long?" Edward asked.

"Long enough. We dated for about two years and were married for six."

"And the dumbass cheated on you?" Edward asked. Rose and Alice had been pretty vocal about it at that first appointment.

"He did, but—and I'm not excusing what he did, not at all—but there was something just... missing, you know? I thought I was in love with him, and I suppose I must have been at some point, but... now I wonder if I ever really did, the way I was supposed to? I mean I was shocked, and I was embarrassed, and I was pissed as hell, but I just wasn't all that... hurt." Bella was chagrined by the word vomit, but also surprised by the words that she spoke, realizing their truth for the first time.

"Wow, you are a way bigger person than I am," Edward replied, his breath warm against her shoulder blade as he worked, making her skin tingle all the more. "I don't think I could be that forgiving if someone did that to me."

"Oh I didn't say I forgive the bastard, far from it. But I can't focus on all the bad crap that's happened, I'd lose my mind if that was all I did. So as hokey as it may sound, instead I choose joy. I've got family and friends that care about me, I've got a job I love, and best of all, I don't have to spend the rest of my life married to a cheating douchecanoe."

Edward snorted, then threw his head back and laughed. "Now there's a rule to live by – don't stay married to a douchecanoe."

Bella laughed as well, feeling surprisingly good about a topic that, up until now, she'd pretty much hated discussing. "This thing is like a therapist's chair; something about it makes me want to spill my deepest, darkest secrets. Enough about me, I don't want to think about my idiot ex-husband anymore. Why don't you tell me about Edward? Is there a wife or husband, boyfriend or girlfriend that you go home to every night?"

"Oh yeah, sure; one of each, in fact," Edward said with a chuckle, meeting Bella's gaze and winking. "Really, no. I'm single, and straight. I've dated here and there, but it's been a while, quite a while come to think of it. I've spent the last couple of years building this shop and our clientele. I guess my last real relationship was when I was in Chicago."

"Chicago?" Bella asked. She knew from their first session that he had been born and raised in Spokane, attending the same high school as Emmett.

"Yeah, I went to school there," he answered.

"Really? What school?"

"Art Institute of Chicago," Edward replied.

Bella whistled. "Damn, Edward, that's impressive."

"For a tattoo artist?" he asked sarcastically, his mouth turned down in a frown.

"What's that supposed to mean? For _anyone_, Edward. That's arguably the top art school in the country. You should be very proud."

He sighed. "I'm sorry, yes, I am proud. I worked hard to earn my spot there, and even harder to get my degree."

"And _someone_ doesn't think it's something to be proud of," Bella guessed.

Edward shrugged. "My father didn't think much of art school to begin with, and he thinks even less of someone who runs a tattoo shop for a living."

"What did he think you should be? A surgeon? A stockbroker? A lawyer?" She saw him flinch at the word lawyer. "Lemme guess, he's the head liar at Dewey, Cheatem and Howe, and wanted you to follow in his footsteps?"

She was rewarded once again with Edward's snort of laughter and his crooked grin. "Yeah, but at least my mom supports me. She was my first client when I opened the shop." He nodded to a photo on the counter that showed a pretty middle-aged woman with a sunflower tattoo on her shoulder and the same crooked smile as her son.

Bella could see the resemblance. "She's lovely. I'm glad she's in your corner, it's important to have that kind of support. My dad's my biggest cheerleader."

They continued to chat about their families and their schooling, and before she knew it, their session was drawing to a close and Edward was setting down his tattoo gun. He grabbed a soft cloth and the cleansing foam he had used the first time and applied it to her tender skin. She inhaled sharply; she had been so absorbed in their conversation she hadn't realized how sensitive her back had become. He showed her the reflection of the new work, then carefully dressed the area for her and walked her through the aftercare instructions as he had done the first time.

They met three more times over the next six weeks, as Bella's phoenix slowly took shape. Edward completed each wing, followed by the phoenix's body, and finally the tail, fire feathers taking shape.

And as the phoenix rose from her skin, Bella could feel the change for which it was symbolic coming over her. She was able to let go of more of the lingering anger and resentment she felt toward Quil. She smiled more and laughed easier than she had in years. She was starting to think about her future with hope and anticipation.

And she couldn't help but think about Edward. They spent the hours she was in the chair discussing anything and everything they could think of—favorite books, music, and movies, families and friends, places each had or hoped to travel to. She talked about her students, and he shared stories about some of his clients. They talked endlessly about their shared passion for art. They had lively debates and deep discussions regarding current events. He had a wicked sense of humor with a sarcastic bent that made her sides ache from laughter. He was intelligent, well-read, and well-spoken, exactly the kind of man that attracted her.

There were times where she could see the interest and attraction returned in his green gaze, when their eyes would meet and hold for long moments before he turned back to his work. Times when his touch lingered, his long fingers sliding over her skin as he inspected the ink a little longer than was necessary. Firm but gentle, the feel of his touch on her skin always caused goosebumps and shivers, which he seemed to enjoy with a satisfied, crooked smile on his lips.

But beyond the looks they exchanged and his gentle caresses, Edward remained a consummate professional. She had seen him with other clients, beautiful women and men that openly flirted with him and even on occasion propositioned him outright, but he always demurred politely. He would never cross that line with a client.

But she wouldn't be a client for much longer. Tonight was their final session; Edward was finishing and touching up the highlights and shading, the detail work. They made small talk as Edward worked steadily, and Bella could feel her anticipation build. She was giddy and nervous and unsure.

Edward set his tattoo gun down with a heavy sigh. "I think that's it, Bella."

"Really?" she asked.

"Really. Let's get you cleaned up, and you can take a look."

Her skin practically buzzed with anticipation as he lathered her up with the cleansing foam from shoulder to hip. He helped her up from the chair and turned her so that her back was facing the mirror, and he handed her a small mirror with which to watch. "Ready?" Edward asked.

Bella nodded, and watched as he carefully wiped away the cleansing foam, revealing her phoenix with every swipe. Bella gasped. Gone was the small, dark tattoo that she had come here to cover; there was no sign whatsoever of the prior markings to be seen beneath the bright red, yellow, and orange flame feathers.

"What do you think?" Edward asked, watching her intently.

"Oh Edward, it is perfect, you captured it completely. I absolutely love it." She felt tears in her eyes as she studied the ink, taking in as many tiny details as she could. "It's so beautiful."

"Yes, you are," Edward said, his voice low and his eyes warm as he brushed a wayward strand of hair over her shoulder. "Transformation complete, time to rise from the ashes and begin anew. It's up to you—what do you want to do now, little phoenix?"

_He's right_, Bella thought. _I'm free to do whatever I want. _It was liberating. It was terrifying. And in that moment, there was only one thing that she wanted more than anything. She spoke up before she lost her nerve. "I really want to kiss you."

His smile dazzled her. "God, I was hoping you'd say something like that," he responded, leaning down and eagerly pressing his lips against hers.

Bella rose on her tiptoes and wound her arms around Edward's neck, her lips moving with his. She sighed with pleasure as his tongue traced her lower lip, which he sucked gently before deepening the kiss, their tongues meeting and stroking. His stubble was soft, and he tasted of the mints that were scattered in dishes throughout the studio. Edward groaned when Bella delved her fingers into his hair, her nails scratching lightly against his scalp, and he slid his arms around her to pull her flush against him.

Bella yelped and jumped back, the reaction instinctive as his hands brushed against the fresh tattoo.

"Shit, shit, shit! Are you okay?" he asked, pulling back and cupping her face in his hands. "I wasn't thinking, I'm so sorry. Here, let me look."

"Edward, I'm fine, really," Bella answered as he gently touched her back. It had been the shock of the contact against her flesh that had made her jump; it didn't hurt, and there was no damage.

"I could have hurt you, I'm sorry. You have every right to be angry," Edward was mumbling as he examined the tattoo.

"Well, I am a little pissed," Bella agreed mildly, waiting until he looked up at her before continuing. "Because that was one hell of a kiss that got interrupted."

Edward flashed her a crooked smile and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips once again. "I gotta agree with you there. Can I make it up to you?" he asked, his voice low and hypnotic.

"What do you have in mind?"

"May I take you out to dinner?" Edward asked, looking a little bashful as he rubbed the back of his neck in the nervous gesture she had come to recognize.

"I would love that, Edward."


End file.
